Slide fasteners



May 24, 1960 W. MIKULAS SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Sept. 6, 1957 United S w Patent SLIDE FASTENERS I William Mikulas, Staten Island, N.Y.,-assignor to Conmar Products Corporation, Newark, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 6, 1951, Ser. No. 682,342 7 Claims. c1. z4-z0s.1s

- ber 17, 1953, for Slide Fasteners, now Patent No.

2,810,174 and assigned to the assignee herein, there is disclosed slider embodiments which provide a solution to this problem and which are effective in the prevention of jams of what is there termed as the hem type and the undergarment type. The slider of the present invention is an improvement on the slider of Figs. 18 to 25 of my above referred to copending application, having the advantages of the latter slider with additional advantages to be described in detail below.

For a hem type of jam the slider of the present invention is constructed to automatically convey out from within the slider the material which may tend to find its way into the slider channel, and for an undergarment" type of jam, the slider of the present invention is constructed to effectively block the passage of extraneous material into the slider channel in such a manner that the user immediately becomes aware of the presence of the offending extraneous material. The slider of the present invention is constructed to enhance the guidance function in guiding extraneous material outwardly of the slider, such guidance being especially enhanced in the case of a hem type of snag. The slider is constructed with an extended blocking or metering portion adjacent the forward edge of the grooves which is very advantageous in restraining the easy entrance of foreign material into the slider channel.

The slider of the present invention is simple in design and construction, economical to mass produce, and very eflicient in operation. No special manipulative effort is required to release the foreign material, and no special instructions need be given to the user in the use of the slider.

--To accomplish the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear,'my invention relates to a' non-jamming slide fastener, and more particularly the slider component, as described in the following specification, taken together with the accompanying drawing in which: a Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of a slide fastener having a slider formed in accordance with the present invention; 'Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the slider, the pull tab being omitted since it forms no part of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, partly in section, of the slidershown in .Fig. 2;

2,937,427 Patented May 241, i960 'ice A Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately in the planeof the line 4-4 of Fig. '3; a

Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the-line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 3 and showing the slider operatively positioned on stringers and illustrating how the slider acts onundergarment material which may tend to enter the slider channel. V V p The slide fastener comprises the usual pair of stringers 10, each consisting of a tape 12 having a beaded or raised edge 14 along which are provided a series of spaced, interlockable fastener elements 16. The slide fastener elements are engaged and disengaged by the up anddown movement of the slider 18. One wing of the slider is provided with a lug 20 to which a pull tab 22 is attached to facilitate the movement of the slider.

Theslider18 of the invention is generally similar to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 18-25 in my aforereferred-to copending application, but differs there from in the respects which will be described in detail below. The slider 18 comprises front and rear wings 26 and 28, respectively, connected by a neck portion 30, each of the wings beingprovided with a pair of curved rails or inturned side flanges'32 and 34, respectively. At the top or neck end of the slider and above the upper ends 38 of the inturned flanges, a groove G" is provided which functions similarly to the groove G" of the aforereferred-to embodiment of my copending application but which has additional advantages which willbe apparent from the following description( One side of the groove G acts as an abutment R" which is' adjacent to the groove, the groove and abutment being preferably provided in each wing of the slider on opposite sides'of the neck portion, so that a total of four sets of grooves and abutments are providedin each slider.

The grooves and abutments taper in depth towards the neck end of the slider, and terminate at an apex 36 in the region of the neck portion 30. While in the illustrated embodiment the grooves taper in depthuniformly from their outer ends 40 at the side of the slider, to the apex 36, it is Within the scope of the present invention to have such grooves of variable or non-uniform taper'or slope. I

Thesliderbody of slider 18 defines a substantially Y-shaped internal channel and the grooves and abutments tendingto enter the channel from the neck end of the.

slider. Thus the slider 18 functions in a similar manner as the slider embodiment of my copending application in preventing a snag or jam of the hem type as well as a snag or jam of the undergarment type. The diverging angle A" of the base of the grooves and abutments may range between 20 and 35 degrees, and it has been found that an angle of 30 degrees, which is the angle of the i1;- lustrated embodiment, is effective for the jam preventing functions aforedescribed; f V

The upper ends 38 of the flanges or rails 32 and 34 are generally squared, relative to the direction of the arms of the Y, or the tangent when curved as here shown, making due allowance formanufacturing tolerances-and methods. The abutments R are substantially coincident of aligned with the generally squared flange ends. .The abutments and aligned flange ends also preferably extend substantially perpendicular to the topand bottom or face walls of the slider wings. The outward expansion of each groove helps guide extraneous material outward. This guidance function .is especially enhancedin the case of a hem" type of snag by the increased surface area of the abutments and aligned flange ends adjacent the sides of the slider which is where extraneous material is likely to enter the slider. The side flanges or rails may be slightly shortened so that a slider of standard length may be used or, if desired, the slider may be slightly lengthened so as to retaintheoriginal length of the inturned side flanges.

The grooves G, which are'locat'ed in the flat portions of the wings, taper in plan also from the sides of the slider to the apex 36 of the grooves as best shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 5, the groove and abutment arrangement is preferably made saw-toothed in cross section, there being a gradual slope 42 from the leading flat portion 44 of the wing to the base of the abutment. This saw-toothed cross section, of-course, gradually tapers or reduces in area towards the apex of the-groove.

The leading flat portion 44 is substantially in the same plane as the inner surface of the wing so that the entry of foreign material into the slider-channel is effectively restrained. In the instant slider 18, the portion 44 extends from the side of the slider all the way to the apex 36 and thus forms an extended blocking or metering portion to restrain the easy entry of foreign material into the slider channel. This restoration to full length of the portion 44 or metering edge of the slider is an additional advantage of the slider of the invention.

As in the case of the previously referred-to embodiment, when a portion of undergarment material U (Fig. 6) would tend to enter the slider channel, the material controllably and abruptly halts the fastener closing movement of the slider before the latter can capture it to the extent where it is virtually impossible to extricate the same. If undergarment material does get beyond the metering portion 44, the material is forced into the groove and is halted by the abutment and aligned flange end. The space between the metering portion 44 and the adjacent sides of the fastener elements 16 is relatively small so that the foreign material does not readily enter the slider channel, but if 'it does get through this space, the groove G" provides an increased space which relieves the pressure of the slider on the foreign material. As described above, the groovetapers in depth in both directions making up the cross section of the groove, so that an increased or expanding space for pressure relief is provided in two directions so as to enhance the pressure relieving function of the gooves upon such foreign material. Thus the pressure relieving function of the grooves G of my previously referred-to application is retained, and in addition the new grooves G taper in depth so that the desired pressure relief is in an outward direction, towards the outer ends 40 thereof. The total surface area of the abutments and coincident flange ends is substantially equal to the corresponding surface area of the previously referred to embodiment, so that the blocking surface area of slider 18 is substantially the same as the blocking surface area of the previous slider embodiment. The tapering in depth of the grooves and abutments, which provide pressure relief longitudinally of the grooves outwardly of the slider body, enhances the guiding or escorting of the material towards the squared flange ends where it has been found that the undergarment material either escapes or piles up and abruptly halts slider movement.

The narrow or mouth end 46 of the slider preferably corresponds to the previous embodiment and is pro vided with a diverging chamfer 48 at the four corners of the slider (Fig. 3), the chamfers of the illustrated embodiment being at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The bottom ends 50 of the flanges may be chamfered and generally squared relative to the top and bottom or face walls of the slider, as in the previous embodiment.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the slider of my invention, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described byinvention in its preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a body having a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at one end by a neck portion, and further comprising inturned side flanges, said parts providing a substantially Y-shaped internal channel, a groove formed in a wing beyond the end of an inturned side flange, said groove diverging from one end in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the slider on the stringers when said end is the leading end of the slider, one side of said groove acting as an abutment adjacent to said groove, said groove and abutment tapering in depth towards said one end, said groove and abutment acting to convey extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the side in a direction outwardly relative to the channel and to block the entry of extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the leading end of the slider.

2. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a body having a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at one end by a neck portion, and further comprising inturned side flanges, said parts providing a substantially Y-shaped internal channel, a groove formed in a wing beyond the end of an inturned side flange, the end of said flange being generally squared, said groove diverging from one end in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the slider on the stringers when said end is the leading end of the slider, one side of said groove acting as an abutment adjacent to said groove, said groove and abutment tapering in depth toward said one end, said abutment being substantially coincident with the end of the inturned side flange, said groove and abutment acting to convey extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the side in a direction outwardly relative to the channel and to block the entry of extraneous ma? terial tending to enter the channel from the leading end of the slider.

3. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a body having a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at one end by a neck portion, and further comprising inturned side flanges, said parts providing a substantially Y-shaped internal channel, a groove formed in a wing above the upper end of an inturned side flange, the end of said flange being generally squared, said groove diverging from the neck end in a direction opposite to the direction of fastener-closing movement of the slider on the stringers when said neck end is the leading end of the slider, one side of said groove acting as an abutment adjacent to said groove, said groove and abutment tapering in depth towards said neck end, said abutment being substantially coincident with the end of the inturned side flange, said groove and abutment arrangement being saw-toothed in cross-section, there being a slope from a leading flat portion of the wing to the base of the abutment, said groove and abutment acting'to convey extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the side in a direction outwardly relative to the channel and to block the entry of extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the neck end of the slider.

4. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers comprising tapes provided with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at the upper or neck end of the slider, at least one of said wings having inturned side flanges along its side edges to thereby provide a substantially Y-shaped internal channel having a stem portion and upwardly diverging arms for the engagement and disengagement of the interlockable elements and to provide side slots for the tapes, and a groove formed in a wing to guide extraneous material outwardly from the channel, said groove being disposed in a direction which diverges outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the slider from the neck end toward the stem end of the slider and which is at an acute angle with respect to the direction of the upwardly diverging arm of the channel from which the groove guides extraneous material, and said groove tapering in depth towards said neck end and being located nearer the latter end than the region of that part of a flange which defines the stem with that part of the same flange which defines an arm of the channel.

5. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a body having a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at one end by a neck portion, and further comprising inturned side flanges, said parts providing a substantially Y-shaped internal channel, a groove formed in a wing above the upper end of an inturned side flange, the end of said flange being generally squared, said groove diverging from the neck end in a direction opposite to the direction of fastenerclosing movement of the slider on the stringers when said neck end is the leading end of the slider, one side of said groove acting as an abutment adjacent to said groove, said groove expanding outwardly relative to the channel to guide extraneous material outwardly from the channel, said abutment being substantially coincident with the end of the inturned side flange, said groove and abutment arrangement being saw-toothed in crosssection, there being a slope from a leading flat portion of the Wing to the base of the abutment, said leading flat portion being in the same plane as the inner surface of a wing and extending from the inner end of said groove to the side of the slider to restrain the entry of extraneous material into the channel, said groove inner end terminating at an apex in said same plane.

6. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a body having a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at one end by a neck portion, and further comprising inturned side flanges, said parts providing a substantially Y-shaped internal channel, a groove formed in a wing above the upper end of an inturned side flange, the end of said flange being generally squared, said groove diverging from the neck end in a direction opposite to the direction of fastener-closing movement of the slider on the stringers when said neck end is the leading end of the slider, one side of said groove acting as an abutment adjacent to said groove, said groove expanding outwardly relative to the channel to guide extraneous material outwardly from the channel, said abutment being substantially coincident with the end of the inturned side flange, the wing having a leading flat portion in the same plane as the inner surface of the wing and extending from the inner end of said groove to the side of the slider to restrain the entry of extraneous material into the channel, said groove and abutment acting to convey extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the side in a direction outwardly relative to the channel and to block the entry of extraneous material tending to enter the channel from the neck end of the slider.

7. A slider for slide fasteners of the type having two stringers with a series of spaced, interlockable elements, said slider comprising a body having a front wing and a rear wing spacedly connected at one end by a neck portion, and further comprising inturned side flanges, said parts providing a substantially Y-shaped internal channel, a groove formed in a wing beyond the end of an inturned side flange and opening to the side of the slider, said groove diverging from one end in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the slider on the stringers when said end is the leading end of the slider, said groove tapering towards said one end from the side of the slider.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,834 Morin Mar. 19, 1940 2,809,412 Foltis Oct. 15, 1957 2,810,174 Mikulas Oct. 22, 1957 2,824,352 -Foltis Feb. 25, 1958 

